Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 26 November 2001 to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care regarding Scottish Ambulance Service provision.

Malcolm Chisholm: I replied to the member on 15 January.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to easyJet to encourage the company to commence an air passenger service between Inverness and Gatwick and whether it will make funding available for the marketing of such a service.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is awaiting a decision by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on the request for measures to protect access to Gatwick for an Inverness service. The Executive will not take any action to encourage another service to a London system airport (Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted) in advance of the UK Government’s decision.

Arts

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet representatives of the Scottish Arts Council and what issues will be discussed.

Dr Elaine Murray: The Executive is in regular contact with the council and its representatives with whom they meet frequently. A wide range of issues relating to the arts in Scotland is discussed.

Asylum Seekers

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive will support the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Minister for Social Justice chairs the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum. Action plans for the successful integration of refugees drawn up by the forum will be supported by ministers across all portfolios.

Asylum Seekers

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote good practice in integrating asylum seekers and refugee children into schools.

Cathy Jamieson: We are aware that a great deal of good practice exists in our schools in integrating asylum seeker and refugee children into the school community. Last week Nicol Stephen launched a newsletter , Welcoming Newcomers , which aims to share best practice and promote race equality in all our schools. This will be distributed to all schools and equal opportunity interest groups.

  On Monday Iain Gray chaired the first meeting of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum. This new forum will be used to drive Executive policy on the devolved matters which affect people who have been granted asylum, such as housing, health, and education. The forum will help to develop action plans, based on best practice, to bring together refugees and existing communities, with the provision of more accessible and co-ordinated services.

Census

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make the 1901 Census freely available to the public.

Mr Jim Wallace: The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has been making the 1901 census returns available on microfilm to readers paying the standard daily search fee in its office at New Register House, Edinburgh since 3 December 2001. Copies of the microfilm are also available for sale and have been purchased by many local library services. The GROS plans to make the census returns available as indexed digital images in New Register House from 24 January. The images will also be made available from that date on the "Scots Origins" pay-per-view website.

Culture

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to promote the life and works of Robert Burns.

Mr Jack McConnell: I am personally committed to the promotion of Burns both at home and abroad and I welcome the wide range of events that takes place throughout Scotland to celebrate Robert Burns a literary genius.

  The Executive is playing its part - supporting last week's Children’s Opera "the Tale o' Tam" and funding A Tam O Shanter CD Project to be distributed free to all primary and secondary schools in Scotland.

  Burns is not just appreciated by Scots and the "Burns an'a that" Festival in May provides an opportunity to promote the life and works of Robert Burns, drawing people to his homeland.

Drug Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether every school is required to make resources available for the provision of drug education and whether every school does.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding, and what support, was made available to schools for the provision of drug education in each of the past three years, broken down by education authority.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a list of the drugs education material and resources which have been approved by it and made available to schools and, if not, what plans it has to draw up such a list.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive's Drug Action Plan: Protecting our Future sets the national standard that all schools will provide drug education to every pupil and will have written procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse, in line with national advice, by 2002. This commitment to drug education is reflected in our Programme for Government, Working Together for Scotland .

  We undertake an annual survey of schools and in the latest survey 97% of schools reported that they provided drug education to every pupil, 81% in line with national advice. To assist education authorities and schools to deliver the national standards, additional grant funding has been made available in 2001-02 as shown in the following table. No previous grant funding has been made available. A further survey of schools will be carried out this year.

  National guidelines set out the principles which should be observed, but it is for education authorities and school managers to develop their health education programmes and determine the resources that will be used, including the choice of drug education material. We have no plans to specify the choice of resources.

  


Education Authority 
  

Amount 
  

Education Authority 
  

Amount 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

32,557 
  

Highland 
  

36,712 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

39,000 
  

Inverclyde 
  

18,500 
  



Angus 
  

21,359 
  

Midlothian 
  

18,289 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

17,552 
  

Moray 
  

17,740 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

12,550 
  

North Ayrshire 
  

26,360 
  



Comhairle an Eilean Siar 
  

8,900 
  

North Lanarkshire 
  

58,234 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

26,082 
  

Orkney 
  

7,700 
  



Dundee 
  

26,526 
  

Perth and Kinross 
  

22,500 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

23,272 
  

Renfrewshire 
  

32,989 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

25,000 
  

Scottish Borders 
  

20,009 
  



East Lothian 
  

17,725 
  

Shetland 
  

8,460 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

21,350 
  

South Ayrshire 
  

21,659 
  



Edinburgh 
  

58,000 
  

South Lanarkshire 
  

52,216 
  



Falkirk 
  

26,714 
  

Stirling 
  

17,528 
  



Fife 
  

58,017 
  

West Dunbartonshire 
  

20,970 
  



Glasgow 
  

85,230 
  

West Lothian 
  

31,900

Drug Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role Scotland Against Drugs has in recommending drugs education material and resources for schools.

Cathy Jamieson: Scotland Against Drugs supports schools in a number of ways, including the provision of teacher training and education, and promotion of alternatives and awareness programmes in many schools.

  Scotland Against Drugs has however no formal role in recommending drugs education material and resources for schools.

Education

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution is being made to the development of citizenship and global values in education by the teaching of Modern Studies.

Nicol Stephen: Modern Studies is one of a range of subjects which contribute to the development of citizenship and global values. Along with the development of a good school ethos, Modern Studies can make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning in relation to these issues. Citizenship and global values are further explored in the Scottish Executive document An International Outlook  which was distributed to schools in October 2001.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to promote science in schools.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is taking a range of actions to implement the commitments to school science education in A Science Strategy for Scotland. These actions include commissioning support for teachers of science; improving assessment of science; and giving local authorities additional resources to support the teaching of science.

  As I announced on 22 January, £5 million is being distributed to education authorities to help them meet the aims of the science strategy.

  We are also participating fully in Science Year and will be hosting an international conference of science educators.

Emergency Services

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Ministry of Defence regarding the provision of helicopter search and rescue services within Scotland and in particular at HMS Gannet.

Dr Richard Simpson: None. The Executive, which is consulted on civil search and rescue matters, but for which the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions has lead responsibility, understands that MoD's plans will not affect civil search and rescue capabilities in and around Scotland.

Employment

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce unemployment in the Clydesdale area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tackling unemployment in any area remains a high priority for the Scottish Executive and the enterprise networks.

  Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire is focusing on the direction and priorities set out in the Executive’s A Smart, Successful Scotland. This sets out the foundation for sustained improvement in economic performance in Scotland. It focuses on three key challenges for raising productivity:

  Growing businesses

  Global connection

  Learning and skills

  In addition, a number of local economic initiatives, targeted on specific areas of need within Lanarkshire, including Clydesdale, have been established by Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire with other local agencies.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it first became aware of the existence of the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: The pandemic strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype O, which has been named PanAsia, was first identified in northern India in 1990. It spread westwards into Saudi Arabia in 1994 and then throughout the Near East and into Europe (Turkish Thrace, Bulgaria and Greece) in 1996. This information would have been passed to all member states of the European Union by the OIE.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive at what international conferences on agriculture or animal health and disease it was represented by its officials in each of the last two years and whether foot-and-mouth disease was discussed at any such conferences.

Ross Finnie: In the past two years the Scottish Executive has been represented at the following international conferences:

  Conference of Directors of EU Paying Agencies, Portugal - May 2000;

  The World Potato Conference, Amsterdam - September 2000;

  The Annual General Meeting of the OIE, Paris - May 2000;

  FMD Conference on Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Brussels - December 2001;

  FMD was discussed at the OIE and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Conferences.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Chief Veterinary Officer received or saw before 23 February 2001 any report from the Institute of Animal Health or from any other body that indicated a threat from the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease to previously clear areas.

Ross Finnie: Leslie Gardner is the Senior State Veterinary Service representative in Scotland and advises the Scottish ministers on all animal health matters. He did not see any specific report of any threat from the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). All strains of FMD are significant and are a constant threat. Our contingency plans reflect that.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers were first alerted before 23 February 2001 to any report from the Institute of Animal Health or from any other body that indicated a threat from the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: Ministers were alerted to the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on Wednesday 21 February 2001. Prior to that they were not aware of any report of any threat from the PanAsia Type O strain of the virus.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers were made aware before 23 February 2001 of any substantial risk of infection in previously clear areas of Europe from the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease and what action it took in the light of any such information.

Ross Finnie: Ministers were alerted to the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on Wednesday 21 February 2001. Prior to that they were not aware of any substantial risk of infection from the PanAsia Type O strain of the virus. All strains of foot-and-mouth disease are significant and are a constant threat.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with Her Majesty’s Government, with other governments or with any other international bodies before 23 February 2001 about any threat posed by the PanAsia Type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease, when any such discussions took place and what the outcomes were.

Ross Finnie: There were no discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government, other Governments or any other international bodies prior to the outbreak of the disease about any threat posed by PanAsia type O strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency or emergency plans existed for coping with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland before 23 February 2001; when any such plans were drawn up; then when were subsequently reviewed, and what changes were made to them in the light of such review.

Ross Finnie: All SEERAD Area Offices and sub-offices have contingency plans for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks and each of the five Divisional Animal Health Offices have detailed instructions for dealing with all notifiable disease emergencies including FMD. Practical FMD control exercises are carried out every second year by each of the five divisional AHO offices and at every exercise participants are invited from other AHO offices, the State Veterinary Service Head Office in Edinburgh, SEERAD Area Offices, local authorities and other relevant agencies.

  In addition, these instructions and contingency plans are backed by local authority and police authority contingency plans providing detailed instructions for dealing with disease emergencies.

  SVS plans are reviewed annually and the SEERAD Area Office plans are reviewed regularly. The plans have been in existence for many years and are amended to reflect changes in organisations and findings from the practical exercises. The most recent changes were to update contact details.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates of (a) the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, (b) the likely number of cases and (c) the need for specialist assistance in slaughter and disposal including the hire or purchase of specialist or additional equipment and supplies were contained in any contingency or emergency plans for coping with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that existed before 23 February 2001 and how accurate any such estimates were.

Ross Finnie: Since the scale and nature of outbreaks are unpredictable it is not possible to make any realistic estimate about the spread of foot-and-mouth disease or the likely number of cases. SEERAD Area Office and State Veterinary Service plans do not contain estimates for specialist assistance in slaughter or for the hire or purchase of additional equipment. However, information about availability of specialist equipment is usually available from contingency plans drawn up by local authorities, which cover a wide range of emergency situations.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the accuracy of information regarding the location, size, nature and current operational status of farms available to the state veterinary service, to the police or to other services during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.

Ross Finnie: SEERAD made two key sources of information available to those involved in tackling the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.

  The first source was basic information held in the EU Agricultural subsidies database, the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) which provided details of all IACS and agri-environment claimants. This covers most agricultural holdings, the exception being pig and poultry farms and non-claimants. The IACS Field Register was used to provide geographic information on the boundaries of fields and farms. The grid reference of each holding found to be infected was used to identify details of fields and farms located within the 3km exclusion zone of that holding. A set procedure was established to ensure that checks were undertaken within SEERAD to verify the grid reference prior to use, to ensure its accuracy. Under the IACS regulations, claimants are subject to a regime of administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections to validate claims, with a percentage of farms inspected each year. The inspection process includes checks on the physical field boundaries. These existing check processes ensured that the data were fit for use in fighting foot-and-mouth disease.

  The second source was the Agricultural Census, which provided a register of all agricultural holdings. Farmers are required to register their agricultural holdings with the census branch under sections 78 and 79 of the Agriculture Act 1947, and thus the details held should be complete and current. However, in reality, it is acknowledged that a small number of farmers refuse to complete census forms or confirm land movements, and thus completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The census registration includes pig and poultry farms and non (or part-non) claimants, and so could be used to complement the IACS information.

  In addition to this, local knowledge of SEERAD agricultural staff from the local area office was used to supplement the centrally-held information. There were no significant accuracy issues identified with either data source, although there were a few instances where people owned livestock as pets and so their address was not classified as agricultural premises and not identified by the data sources.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received any complaints or comments from the state veterinary service, the police or other services, including local authorities, during or after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 regarding the accuracy of information on the location, size, nature and current operational status of farms and what the nature of such complaints and comments was.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive have not received any complaints or comments from the police, State Veterinary Service or any other organisation concerning the accuracy of the information on the location, size, nature, and current operational status of farms.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to make available a complete, accurate and regularly updated database of farms giving precise details of their locations, size, nature and current operational status.

Ross Finnie: Farmers are required to register their holdings under the Agriculture Act 1974 with the Agricultural Census branch, and thus a complete database of farms already exists. However, in reality, it is acknowledged that a small number of farmers refuse to complete census forms or confirm land movements, and thus completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

  In addition, the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) holds details of all claimants for EU agricultural subsidies. Both systems are subject to restrictions on the uses to which these data may be put, due to confidentiality constraints. Discussions are on-going to ensure that coverage of both systems is as complete and consistent as possible.

Genealogy

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to promote an interest in genealogy in Scotland and abroad.

Mike Watson: Yes. Earlier today, I launched a new tourism and genealogy website- ancestralscotland.com. This website, which has been developed by VisitScotland, will encourage users from around the world to both research their ancestry and to visit those parts of Scotland where their ancestors lived.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any requests by Grampian NHS Board for capital expenditure funding for facilities in the Banff area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive currently has no such requests under consideration. We will of course give careful consideration to any future proposals put to us by NHS Grampian for capital funding for facilities in the Banff area.

Higher and Further Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the non-completion of courses by students has on the economy.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I am not aware of any research on this issue.

Higher and Further Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the non-completion of courses by students has on the education system.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Retention rates in higher education institutions in Scotland are high by international standards. However, the Scottish Executive recognises that it is important to minimise non-completion, which is why my guidance letter of 10 December 2001 asked the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council to continue to work with institutions and with the department, to develop a better understanding of the factors affecting the variation in retention rates between institutions.

Higher and Further Education

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that all new applicants from Scottish residents or institutions will not be disadvantaged as a result of the transfer of the Scottish Studentship Scheme from the Students Awards Agency for Scotland to the Arts and Humanities Research Board in Bristol.

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Studentship Scheme is being withdrawn and, if so, what procedures are in place to ensure that a fair proportion of the applications from Scotland benefit from the scheme administered by the Arts and Humanities Research Board.

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the performance of the Arts and Humanities Research Board in areas of Scottish interest and research.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Higher and Further Education

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any contingency plans to restore the responsibility for awards under the Scottish Studentship Scheme back to the Scottish Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) should the Arts and Humanities Research Board in Bristol be found to be placing postgraduate research and researchers at a disadvantage compared to the SAAS administered system.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The work of the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB), since its creation a few years ago, has been broadly welcomed by the arts and humanities research community in Scotland as a body which is improving the standing of arts and humanities research and researchers. In the unlikely event that problems were to arise in the future, then we would expect the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council to resolve those with the AHRB so that Scottish institutions are properly served.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring new subordinate legislation forward in relation to the operation of Individual Learning Accounts.

Lewis Macdonald: We intend that the new regulations will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible. We will, however, first wish to consider carefully what changes may need to be made to any scheme, and incorporated in those regulations.

Individual Learning Accounts

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many lifelong learners have been affected by the closure of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme.

Ms Wendy Alexander: At 7 January 2002, 253,952 people held Individual Learning Accounts. 116,465 of these have engaged in ILA-assisted learning.

Individual Learning Accounts

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans have been made to provide on-going support to lifelong learners who have not yet activated their Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) following the closure of the ILA scheme.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Learners who enrolled in learning before the scheme’s closure will be able to proceed, if their learning starts before the end of this month. Letters have gone to all account holders explaining the reasons for the closure and providing them with details of a dedicated freephone helpline, 0808 100 1090, should they require further advice.

Individual Learning Accounts

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will relaunch the Individual Learning Accounts scheme following its closure and what advice is being given to lifelong learners in the interim.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We remain committed to encouraging the widest possible participation in lifelong learning. We are actively considering what future arrangements might be put in place to support individual learning. I expect to be able to say more about this later in the spring.

  In the meantime, learndirect scotland continue to provide advice for learners on freephone 0808 100 9000. Individual Learning Account (ILA) holders with ILA-related enquiries may contact a dedicated freephone helpline on 0800 100 1090.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which learning providers based in Moray were recipients of Individual Learning Account payments in each of the last two years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The following learner providers received Individual Learning Account payments from Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise in the last two years:

  2000-01

  Moray Academy of Transport Training

  Moray College

  2001-02

  Academy of Crystal and Natural Healing

  Learning Matrix

  Microteach

  Moray Academy of Transport Training

  Moray College

  Moray College Business Services

  Moray College Open Learning Unit

  Moray College Training Services

  Pitman Training Forres

  Smart Computers Scotland

  Spring Skills

  The Nicolson Training Centre

  Varis Training

MMR Vaccine

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to stop children attending nursery or school if they have not had the MMR vaccine.

Hugh Henry: There are, at present, no vaccination or immunisation requirements for the purposes of nursery and primary school admissions.

  The Executive has no plans to change that policy.

Mental Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on reducing the numbers of young women suffering from depression.

Malcolm Chisholm: The latest figures, based on a sample of GP practices in Scotland, indicate that an estimated 24,000 young women between 15 and 24 were seen for depression by general practitioners in 2000, an increase of 2,000 over the previous year.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to developing a range of services to meet their needs, including psychological interventions which were added to the Framework for Mental Health Services in October of last year.

Ministerial Code

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19176 by Mr Jack McConnell on 8 January 2002, whether it plans to include in the Scottish Ministerial Code provisions to restrain ministers from commenting on the conduct of those charged with offences whose cases have not been dealt with by the courts.

Mr Jack McConnell: There are no plans to include such provisions in the Scottish Ministerial Code. The Scottish Ministerial Code gives overarching guidance to ministers. It does not give detailed advice on specific circumstances.

NHS Waiting Lists

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances a patient from outwith Scotland would be allocated a bed in an NHS hospital in Scotland ahead of people on waiting lists.

Malcolm Chisholm: Decisions on the priority to be given to the treatment of individual patients are taken by clinicians. These decisions depend on their assessment of clinical priority based on need.

National Health Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any requests by Grampian NHS Board for permission to develop NHS facilities in the Banff area.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Grampian is considering longer term proposals for service developments to improve benefits for patients and any proposals for Banff should follow that.

National Health Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last received any correspondence from Grampian NHS Board regarding health services in the Banff area.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last sent any correspondence to Grampian NHS Board regarding health services in the Banff area.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what subjects have been covered in any correspondence with Grampian NHS Board on health services in the Banff area since September 2001.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department is in regular and frequent contact with NHS Grampian through correspondence and meetings. These contacts cover a wide range of subjects affecting health care services throughout the area.

Prison Service

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost per prisoner place in the Scottish Prison Service was in each of the last 10 years and what expenditures are included in calculating that cost.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Recording of average annual cost per prisoner place was first introduced by the Scottish Prison Service in respect of 1994-1995. The cost includes all current expenditure but excludes all capital expenditure.

  


Financial year 
  

£ (000) 
  



2000-01 
  

28,114 
  



1999-2000 
  

28,375 
  



1998-99 
  

26,912 
  



1997-98 
  

26,170 
  



1996-97 
  

26,744 
  



1995-96 
  

25,786 
  



1994-95 
  

26,479

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many workers are currently employed by BEAR Scotland Ltd in relation to the operation of the trunk roads maintenance contract.

Lewis Macdonald: The number of personnel currently employed directly by BEAR Scotland Ltd, in relation to the operation of the trunk road maintenance contracts in the North East and North West Units, is 231.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has inspected the vehicles used by BEAR Scotland Ltd to fulfil their obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract in order to monitor whether the vehicles are fit for their purpose and whether the gritters used by them are able to, and do in practice, disperse sufficient quantities of grit.

Lewis Macdonald: The Trunk Road Maintenance Contracts require all gritters to be calibrated to ensure that they disperse the necessary quantities of salt. The Performance Audit Group has carried out audits on BEAR’s winter operations, including winter maintenance vehicles, and these audits have confirmed that their vehicles have been calibrated to disperse the required quantities of salt.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many gritters are used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in order to fulfil its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested can be found in the Winter Maintenance Plans published by BEAR Scotland Ltd for the North East and North West Units, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. No’s 18110 and 18114).

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road gritters BEAR Scotland Ltd is operating on each trunk road within the Highland Council area compared to the previous number operated by the council.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on the number of road gritters operated by BEAR Scotland Ltd can be found in the Winter Maintenance Plans published by BEAR for the North East and North West Units, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. No’s 18110 and 18114).

  It is not possible to make direct comparisons between BEAR and the previous operator as Highland Council had resources to fulfil its responsibilities on both trunk and local roads. Other factors that influence direct comparisons are the size and the types of vehicles used, age and reliability of vehicles and modern technology.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to address the issues identified in the report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education, Standards and Quality in Primary and Secondary Schools 1998-2001.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-4488 on 24 January 2002.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of draft school inspection reports were altered in each of the last five years following comments made by the responsible education authority.

Nicol Stephen: It is standard practice for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to show all draft reports to the relevant education authority, headteacher and school board chair before publication. Any additional evidence provided at this stage is taken into account by HMIE as they finalise the report. The source of the evidence is not of itself significant in that process. Based on all the evidence gathered in the course of the inspection, the published report records HMIE’s professional evaluation of the standard of the school. Minor changes are common, but the final decision on every such change rests with HMIE.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of draft school inspection reports were altered in each of the last five years in order to render them more critical of a school following comments made by the responsible education authority.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21706. Any amendments to reports are only made as result of careful consideration of all relevant evidence and not solely on comments from any source, including an education authority. Final responsibility for changes – as with every aspect of the published inspection report – clearly lies with HMIE.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are followed when Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education is considering whether to alter a draft inspection report following comments made by a local authority.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21706. During inspections, Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) take account of evidence drawn from a number of sources, including comments by the education authority, headteacher and school board chair, data from a representative sample of parents, and first-hand experience of the learning and teaching in the school. These procedures are outlined in inspection guidance, which is publicly available. Based on all the evidence gathered in the course of the inspection, the published report records HMI’s professional evaluation of the standard of the school.

Schools

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposed alterations to a draft school inspection report suggested by a local education authority that are detrimental to the school are investigated by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education before being accepted.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-21706 and S1W-21708. Any amendments to reports are only made as result of careful consideration of all relevant evidence.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what particular skills and competencies are required to be a member of the board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Nicol Stephen: Members of the board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) are appointed under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. Appointments are made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies 2002 and the skills and competencies were set out in a person specification. This is reproduced as follows:

  SQA board members are appointed in a personal, not a representative, capacity and should have relevant managerial or organisational skills and experience. They should possess effective communication skills and have some experience of working as part of a team. They should also be able to demonstrate a willingness to fully participate in decision-making processes. Some knowledge of and interest in the education and training system in Scotland would be helpful along with a willingness to play an active role in the area of qualifications. However, a detailed knowledge of the examination and certification process is not essential. The qualities required for the post include:

  Leadership, vision and a capacity to take a strategic view

  Ability to focus on essentials, identify key success factors and seek and analyse relevant evidence

  A commitment to Scotland’s education and training system

  Good interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written)

  Sound judgement

  Willingness to take, and adhere to, difficult decisions

  Ability to work in a team environment

  National and international outlook

  The ability to win respect and confidence of key stakeholders

  Integrity and discretion

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will bring the dissolution order for the Scottish Transport Group pension funds before the Parliament.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20831 on 24 December 2001.

Social Inclusion

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will collect information on the number of speakers of the 60 ethnic community languages spoken in Scotland as a first language.

Iain Gray: The Executive is currently considering ways in which it might be able to access more detailed information about the prevalence of ethnic community languages in Scotland.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21214 by Ms Margaret Curran on 15 January 2002, which projects are currently under investigation because of alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclusion Partnership funds.

Ms Margaret Curran: The two projects currently under investigation because of alleged irregularities in the use of Social Inclusion Partnership funds are the Wellhouse Project in Easterhouse and Priesthill/Nitshill Out of School Care in Pollok.

South of Scotland Alliance

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it will give to the launch of the South of Scotland Alliance.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive notes the launch of the South of Scotland Alliance and will continue to engage in dialogue with local partners.

Sport

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the bid to host the European Football Championships in 2008.

Mike Watson: The First Minister explained in his statement to Parliament on 23 January that, having considered carefully the practicalities, costs and benefits of staging Euro 2008, the Executive supports a potential joint bid with the Republic of Ireland. Executive officials are presently in consultation with the Irish Government and the SFA.

Sport

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with  sportscotland regarding the recent departure of three senior members of staff.

Dr Elaine Murray: The cessation of these three posts formed part of the proposed new management structure of  sportscotland as recommended in last year’s Organisational Review of  sportscotland. This was approved by the Scottish Executive.

Sport

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when was it informed that  sportscotland wished to restructure its senior management, what response it made to such information and when it will make an announcement to the Parliament about the restructuring.

Dr Elaine Murray: The final report of  sportscotland’s Organisational Review recommended a revised management structure.  sportscotland sought the Scottish Executive’s views in October 2001 and the latter accepted the case for the changes proposed. It is for  sportscotland to decide on whether to make an announcement on the restructuring and the form any such announcement should take.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact student poverty and student debt have on the economy.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I am not aware of any research into the impact of student income levels and student debt on the Scottish economy.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the imposition of tuition fees on students had on the economy.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tuition fees were abolished for eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students studying in Scotland from academic year 2000-01. I am not aware of any research into the impact of student contributions to fees in the period 1998-99 to 1999-2000.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reinstate subsistence grants for students in place of the current student loans system.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Since August 2001 young Scottish students from low-income homes starting full-time study in Scotland have been eligible for a Young Student Bursary of up to £2,000 each year towards their living costs.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of reinstating student grants would be.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive has already introduced bursaries of up to £2,000 a year for new entrant young students in full-time higher education in Scotland. These have been available since August 2001. The cost of substituting non-repayable grants for the remaining student loan support currently provided to Scottish domiciled students is estimated to be approximately £115 million per annum at 2001-02 prices. This figure excludes any assessment on the consequences for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland and the Student Loans Company of implementing any such change.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of student debt is a consequence of the introduction of the student loans system.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Data on student debt other than student loans is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, entrants to higher and further education left without completing the qualification they were studying for and how many, and what percentage, left as a result of debt or poverty in each of the past three years and in the current year, broken down by institution.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information cannot be provided in the format requested.

  Information on the number of students leaving higher education courses before completion can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.

  Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.asp

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the non-completion of courses by students had or is having on the ability of those students to repay tuition fees or their student loans.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students studying in Scotland have not been required to contribute to the cost of their tuition since 2000-01. They are not required to repay tuition fees paid to institutions by the Executive on their behalf.

  Under the Income Contingent Repayment system, introduced for students starting in higher education from 1998, students are not required to repay their student loans until they leave their course, whether or not they complete it, and are earning more than the annual income threshold of £10,000, after which payments are made at the rate of 9% of income over £10,000. It is too early to judge whether there is any clear relationship between a student's completion of their course, and their long-term ability to repay loans made under the income-contingent scheme.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any research it has commissioned into the rates of non-completion of courses by students.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21389 on 18 January 2002.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to female students from entering further and higher education.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Student loans apply only in higher education.

  There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.

  Information on student numbers by gender in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.

  Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.asp

  These figures show an increase in the number of female students in Scotland over the period covered.

  Support for students in further education is given in the form of a bursary.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to mature students from entering further and higher education.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Support for students in further education is given the form of bursary. Student loans apply only in higher education.

  There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.

  Information on student numbers by age in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.

  Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.asp

  These figures show an increase in the number of mature students in Scotland over the period covered.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student loans are a disincentive to potential students from ethnic minority backgrounds from entering further and higher education.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Student loans apply only in higher education.

  There are a wide variety of reasons why individuals choose whether or not to enter further or higher education.

  Information on student numbers by ethnicity in further and higher education over the last five years can be found in the Standard Tables on Higher Education and Further Education in Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive under National Statistics in June 2001.

  Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18496) or on the Scottish Executive website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00086-00.asp

  These figures show an increase in the number of ethnic minority students in Scotland over the period covered.

  I am aware that there are some individuals who are not prepared to borrow money on the grounds of religious belief.

  Support for students in further education is in the form of a bursary.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether tuition fees are a disincentive to any potential students from entering further and higher education.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tuition fees were abolished for eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students in further and higher education in Scotland from academic year 2000-01.

Vaccinations

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on vaccination or immunisation requirements for the purposes of nursery and primary school admissions.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are at present no vaccination or immunisation requirements for the purposes of nursery and primary school admissions. The Executive has no plans to change that policy.

Water Authorities

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that water authorities and their sub-contractors reinstate Argyll and Bute’s roads to a safe and acceptable standard after work has been completed.

Lewis Macdonald: Utility companies that dig up the road are required, by statute, to reinstate the excavation to a specified standard. That standard is set out in the document Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in the Highway , which was published by HMSO in 1992.

  Roads authorities, in this instance Argyll and Bute Council, have powers under section 131 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to carry out inspections to ensure the reinstatement has been satisfactorily completed.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated deer population was in each of the last 40 years; by what method any such estimates were determined, and what its position is on figures in respect of deer population provided by the Deer Commission for Scotland.

Ross Finnie: Annual estimated deer population figures are not held by the Scottish Executive.

  The Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS) is the statutory body charged with furthering the conservation, control and sustainable management of wild deer in Scotland and detailed deer data is published in their Annual Report, which is laid before Parliament (Bib. number 17932).

  Estimates of red deer numbers and densities over previous years are also available from the DCS. General indications are that over the last 40 years, in many areas, red deer numbers and densities have been increasing. Similar information on other species is not collated.

  Red deer estimates are based on a rolling programme of deer counts by DCS itself as well as counts carried out by estates which they are encouraged to undertake as part of an integral approach to good land management. There are currently no generally accepted methods of estimating numbers of other species over a large area.

  In recent years, DCS has moved away from national statistics to describe deer populations in Scotland due to the temporal inaccuracy of the data. DCS considers that the best method of deer control is a co-ordinated management approach at local level, where numbers and densities make more sense, through a system of Deer Management Groups. This approach is endorsed by the Scottish Executive.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what credit check was carried out in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd prior to 1 August 2001 and whether copies of any relevant correspondence will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: There was no available published credit reference available for Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, as the company had been operating in the UK for a relatively short period of time. Bovis Lend Lease who have responsibility for credit checks, therefore obtained Flour City International's published accounts, which included the following:

  Highlights of Financial Summary 1994-98

  Condensed Balance Sheet 1997-98

  Condensed Statement of Income 1997-98

  Condensed Statement of Cashflow 1996-98

  The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that relevant papers will be obtained from Bovis Lend Lease in order to enable advice to be taken from the Parliament's legal office as to whether or not these can properly be put into the public domain. If there is no impediment to doing so, they will be will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in due course.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21201 on 15 January 2002, whether the contract with Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd was not concluded as final and binding until the contract was "completed as a deed" and, if so, on what legal basis the payments in respect of the work undertaken by Flour City on design and specialist cladding services at the new Parliament building at Holyrood, and as specified in his answer to question S1W-20306 on 7 December 2001, were made and, if the contract was concluded as final and binding prior to 1 August 2001, on what date this took place.

Sir David Steel: Payments were made to Flour City under the terms of a Letter of Intent, issued to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd on 26 January 2001, which forms a legally binding agreement. The formal contract, concluded on 1 August 2001 superseded the letter of intent and finalised the full terms and conditions.

Scottish Parliament Staff

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many advertisements for posts within the Parliament have been placed in each national and regional newspaper in each of the past three years and in the current year, detailing the newspapers concerned and the number of posts advertised in each newspaper.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) became an employer in its own right on 1 April 2000 and began carrying out its own recruitment from January 2000. Prior to that date, recruitment was conducted on behalf of the SPCB by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive. Our records only go back to January 2000.

  Details of advertisements placed within Scottish national and regional newspapers from January 2000 are set out in the table below. All posts advertised in the press are also published on the Parliament’s website. Adverts in the Herald, Scotsman or Daily Record also appear in the Sunday Herald, Scotland on Sunday and Sunday Mail respectively and are also posted on the papers’ websites. The majority of posts advertised in the Edinburgh Evening News were also placed in Job Centres.

  


Publication 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  

Total to Date 
  



Adv. 
  

Posts 
  

Adv. 
  

Posts 
  

Adv. 
  

Posts 
  

Adv. 
  

Posts 
  



Edinburgh Evening News


8 
  

35 
  

4 
  

16 
  

- 
  

- 
  

12 
  

51 
  



The Scotsman


17 
  

62 
  

23 
  

52 
  

1 
  

1 
  

41 
  

115 
  



The Herald


13 
  

58 
  

17 
  

44 
  

1 
  

1 
  

31 
  

103 
  



Daily Record


1 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

2 
  



West Highland Free Press


1 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  



Stornoway Gazette


1 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  



An Gaidheal Ur


1 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  



  Note: An individual post may be advertised in more than one publication.

Scottish Parliament Staff

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many advertisements for posts within the Parliament have been placed in publications outwith Scotland in each of the past three years and in the current year; what the cost was in each year, and in what publications the advertisements were placed.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) became an employer in its own right on 1 April 2000 and began carrying out its own recruitment from January 2000. Prior to that date recruitment was conducted on behalf of the SPCB by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive. Our records only go back to January 2000.

  Details of advertisements placed in publications outwith Scotland from January 2000 are set out in the table below.

  


Publication 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  

Total to Date 
  



Adv. 
  

Cost (£) 
  

Adv. 
  

Cost (£) 
  

Adv. 
  

Cost (£) 
  

Adv. 
  

Cost (£) 
  



Guardian 
  

4 
  

18,781.88 
  

3 
  

9,700.25 
  
 
 

7 
  

28,482.13 
  



Computer Weekly 
  

2 
  

14,599.65 
  

2 
  

12,432.00 
  
 
 

4 
  

27,031.65 
  



Library Association Record 
  

3 
  

2,551.50 
  

2 
  

1,649.70 
  

1 
  

980.00 
  

6 
  

5,181.20 
  



Supply Management 
  

- 
  

- 
  

2 
  

5,096.75 
  
 
 

2 
  

5,096.75 
  



Prospects Today 
  

1 
  

1,248.75 
  

- 
  

- 
  
 
 

1 
  

1,248.75 
  



Managing Information 
  

1 
  

666.00 
  

- 
  

- 
  
 
 

1 
  

666.00 
  



Soc. of Archivists Newsletter 
  

1 
  

277.50 
  

- 
  

- 
  
 
 

1 
  

277.50 
  



Building 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1,568.80 
  
 
 

1 
  

1,568.80 
  



The Nation 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

290.00 
  
 
 

1 
  

290.00 
  



Health & Safety Practitioner 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

911.13 
  
 
 

1 
  

911.13 
  



Total 
  

12 
  

38,125.28 
  

12 
  

31,648.63 
  

1 
  

980.00 
  

25 
  

70,753.91

Scottish Parliament Staff

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will detail any special arrangements which are in place to encourage applications for posts within the Parliament from students at universities and colleges.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) currently has no special arrangements in place to encourage applications for posts from students at universities and colleges.